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State lawmakers are approving a $50.64 billion budget for the fiscal year that starts Friday, including $2 billion to expand property tax rebates and credits and a $6 billion surplus to guard against a possible economic downturn.

“It seems clear the Murphy administration exceeded that authority by appropriating $20 million for payments to illegal immigrants without the sign-off of the Legislature,” said Sen. Michael Testa, R-Cumberland.

Assembly Republicans want to cut income taxes as part of the new state budget, part of a four-pronged plan for responding to an unprecedented surge in state revenues and surplus.

NJ FamilyCare expansion could make 24,000 kids who are undocumented immigrants eligible for health insurance. The federal government wouldn't help pay for it.

Sue Fulton, the chair and chief administrator of the MVC, said 35% to 40% of employees remain absent from work on any given day – better than the 55% at the height of COVID, but still much higher than the 20% before the pandemic.

Considering the record revenues and surplus, there was quite a bit of angst as the Assembly Budget Committee met with Gov. Phil Murphy's treasurer.

Lawmakers granted Gov. Phil Murphy’s request to delay his speech introducing the proposed state budget for fiscal 2023 by two weeks, from Feb. 22 to March 8.

They strongly criticize handing out stimulus checks to unauthorized immigrants and convicted criminals, but an immigrant rights activist argues essential workers cannot be left behind.

Police departments that already were prohibited from having ticket or arrest quotas in New Jersey now cannot use such data to evaluate an officer’s job performance, under a state law enacted on Thursday.

Just one Republican voted for the resolution: Sen. Chris Brown (R-Atlantic). Other Republicans either voted no, voted to abstain, or didn’t vote.